Dances with Dirt - Devils Lake 50K Ultra

Race completed

50 km Distance

not publishedn/a Climbing

2.5 est Grit · Entry level

Calculated from 50 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 2.5 as a floor, not a verdict.

43.4711° N, 89.7443° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 13 hours 15:36 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. More forgiving than 80% of 50K races. Measured against 1034 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~126 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, July

Daytime high 28°C

Night low 17°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 15 h 13 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for July — NASA POWER, grid elevation 306 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2026	50km	126	David Wenzel · 04:24:39	Gabi Hower · 05:53:36
2025	50km	168	Zel Johnston · 04:51:33	Katia Wanish · 05:09:05
2023	50km	128	Dana Riederer · 04:14:27	Bobbi Rooney · 05:14:45
2022	50km	5	Thaddeus Bath · 06:08:06	Tabetha Wolfe · 07:33:36
2021	50km	95	Tyler Jones · 04:37:13	Tiffany Schwartz · 05:19:10
2019	50km	102	Tyler Sigl · 03:53:38	Molly Wirtz · 05:31:37
2018	50km	111	Gerad Mead · 04:26:39	Kameko Halfmann · 05:34:40
2017	50km	156	Tyler Sigl · 03:43:17	Emily Gordon · 04:52:58
2016	50km	204	Jesse Wesolowski · 03:56:43	Rhandi Orme · 04:53:55
2015	50km	179	Nic Giebler · 04:27:39	Samantha Gries · 04:40:12

The field shrank 25% between 2025 (168) and 2026 (126). 26% of the 2026 field were women.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 50 km of trail.

Trail Running Shoes 50 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition 50 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 50 km, without the bounce.
Headlamps A 13 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 50 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Brooks

Catamount 3

RunRepeat found the Brooks Catamount 3 to have a cozier upper that enhances the overall fit, though breathability and durability could be better. iRunFar noted…

★★★★★ 4.5

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Tailwind